Maryland selects new state superintendent of schools

Dr. Karen B. Salmon to take position July 1

Maryland has a new state superintendent of schools. The Maryland State Board of Education on Tuesday selected Dr. Karen B. Salmon, acting deputy state superintendent for school effectiveness, as the state's next state superintendent of schools.

The Maryland State Board of Education on Tuesday selected Dr. Karen B. Salmon, acting deputy state superintendent for school effectiveness, as the state's next state superintendent of schools.

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Salmon starts her new role July 1, succeeding Interim State Superintendent Jack Smith, who earlier this year was named the next superintendent of the Montgomery County Public Schools.

"I'm extremely excited. In a way, I'm humbled that I have this opportunity. I always strive in every job that I have taken to impact on more children each time I take a new position, and this just trumps everything. This is amazing," Salmon said.

Salmon said her approach to running Maryland schools will focus first on children.

"I'm just really to work. Ready to work with the 24 local school systems, all the stakeholders, the parents. The politicians, the legislature. That's all going to be a really great opportunity for me," Salmon said.

The State Board voted unanimously to elevate Salmon to the state superintendent position, pending final contract negotiations. Salmon is expected to sign a four-year contract. There's no word yet on how much she'll be paid.

Before joining the MSDE staff, Salmon served as superintendent of the Bay Shore Union Free School District in Bay Shore, New York. She moved to New York after 10 years as superintendent of the high-performing Talbot County Public School System.

Salmon spent more than 30 years as an educator on Maryland's Eastern Shore, beginning her career as a special education teacher in the Caroline County Public Schools. She later became a vocational coordinator and an assistant principal in the Caroline schools before moving to Talbot County as coordinator of services for exceptional children. Salmon became assistant superintendent of the Talbot County schools in 1997 and superintendent in 2003.

"I think knowing Maryland, knowing Talbot County, especially knowing the Eastern Shore, my last few months here I've been in almost every school system, visiting career and technology education programs. I've just had a lot of opportunities to know Maryland education. I've been through every Maryland reform in the last 40 years," Salmon said.

Named the Maryland Superintendent of the Year in 2012, Salmon is the recipient of numerous awards and honors throughout her educational career. She holds a Ph.D. in Special Education/Administration and a Masters in Special Education from the University of Maryland College Park. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in speech communication from the University of Delaware.

A native of Harford County and the daughter of an educator, Salmon and her husband John reside in Bozman, Maryland. They are the parents of two grown daughters: Lauren, an oncologist living in Virginia, and Rachael, a student at the University of Maryland College Park. Both children graduated from Talbot County public schools.

MSEA President Betty Weller released the following statement:

"The Maryland State Education Association congratulates Karen Salmon on her selection as Maryland’s next state superintendent of schools. Maryland’s teachers and education support professionals look forward to working closely with Dr. Salmon to improve resource equity, close opportunity gaps, and reduce and improve standardized testing so that all of our students have a chance at a great public education.

"We hope that Dr. Salmon will serve as an independent, apolitical voice for research-based solutions that help all students rather than reinforce the narrow policy focus of the Hogan administration and his State Board on charter schools and private schools."